Ulterior Motives
by RosesandThorns666
Summary: Part of Castiel wonders why Raphael has taken her. He already knows it's to draw him into a trap, but he can't help but wonder about Raphael's intentions towards her. He knows one thing for certain. He has to get her back. Please R&R!
1. Long Time No See

**Summary: **Part of Castiel wonders why Raphael has taken her. He already knows it's to draw him into a trap, but he can't help but wonder about Raphael's intentions towards her. He knows one thing for certain. He has to get her back. Please R&R!

**Disclaimer: **I don't own _Supernatural _or its characters. I only own my OC.

**A/N: **Lucifer died without anyone being possessed, Sam, Dean and Bobby survived, but Castiel still returned to Heaven.

This will contain violence, angst and drama towards the end, with a surprise thrown in for Castiel towards the end too.

Hope you enjoy!

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><p><strong>Ulterior Motives <strong>

**Chapter One: Long Time No See **

The Winchesters sat in Bobby's study, their lives continuing as they had before Dean had gone to Hell. The fact that Castiel had returned to Heaven after all they'd been through had pissed the brothers off, but they decided to continue as normal, and clearly Castiel had his reasons for leaving.

But Castiel found he needed to return to the brothers. The Winchesters and Bobby were the only ones who would be able to understand his need for help. His siblings wouldn't understand quite how much she meant to him. They wouldn't understand his urgency to save her. He knew that it was clearly a trick for Raphael to find a way to entrap and perhaps kill him, but it seemed that there was another reason he'd taken her. Raphael knew of her connection to Castiel, but he couldn't help but feel that there was another reason for her abduction.

She'd been sleeping in her bed at home when she'd disappeared. He had made love with her that night and left her to return to his duties in Heaven. When came back the next morning, he'd found her missing and evidence of a struggle clear about the home. He could sense her soul, and the binding mark on her hip which glowed brightly to his senses and he knew that she was in danger. He needed the help of those who were loyal to him during the fight against Lucifer and despite his leaving, he hoped that they would help him.

Sam had his face buried in a book on lore about werewolves whilst Dean was drifting off to sleep and Bobby was falling asleep with his head half buried in a book on vampire lore. But as the room fell silent, a familiar rush of wings sounded, everyone jumping and looking to see a forlorn Castiel standing by the door, his face pale and eyes tearful.

"Well, well, well, the sheriff's back in town." Dean said, Sam nudging him slightly, "To what do we owe this visit, oh might one."

"Dean, shut up." Sam hissed, Castiel looking to his feet and closing his eyes as tears fell from them.

Things were getting way too much for the angel to be able to handle. The war in Heaven between his army and Raphael's wasn't without its bloodshed, and not only that, but Castiel's soulmate had also been taken from him.

"Cas?" Sam asked, "What's the matter?"

Dean realised then that perhaps his sarcasm and jokes had been a little insensitive. The poor guy was actually in tears, which was unnerving. They'd never seen Castiel cry, yet here he was, weeping before them.

"Cas?" Dean asked, looking to the others as the angel actually began to sob, his hands sliding up to cover his face as he did.

Bobby jumped straight up to pour everyone some whiskey, Sam rushing to Castiel to lead him to a chair so he could sit down.

"Damnit, Cas, what's happening?" Dean asked, Castiel trying to gain some form of control over himself as he took down the full shot of whiskey, his hands trembling the whole time.

"R-Raphael..." Castiel whispered, "He's taken my soulmate..."

"You're soulmate?" Dean asked.

"A young woman. Her name is Grace Rhodes." Castiel revealed, a small smile crossing his lips as he thought of her, "I call her Gracie..."

Sam looked to Dean with sad eyes as Castiel tried to remember what he was talking about.

"Raphael has taken her, and I cannot go after her despite the fact that I know where she is because it will be a trap to kill me, and I mustn't leave her without someone to protect her." He said, "I cannot go alone at least."

"So after a year, you finally show your ass, and you expect us to just drop everything and chase your girl who you can't even keep safe?" Dean snapped, Bobby glaring at him as he slammed a glass down.

"Dean, that's enough."

"No, he's right." Castiel replied, "But I cannot trust anyone else with this task, Dean."

The older Winchester watched as Castiel looked up at him, the pain and loss so clear in his eyes that it sent guilt flashing through Dean's system.

"You, Sam, Bobby...you are my only hope for her." He said quietly, "I know where she is, and I can sense what pain he is putting her through. _Please_..."

"Alright...listen, this sounds really awful, but we're all exhausted, Cas..." Dean said softly, "We're gonna have to sleep before we can go anywhere near him."

"Of course." Castiel replied, "There is one angel I wish to bring with us, but you will meet him tomorrow."

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><p>Bobby couldn't sleep. Whether it was the heat in his room or the constant worrying for the safety of this poor girl, he wasn't sure. Both were playing equally on his mind. After watching the ceiling for another half hour, he ended up getting dressed and checking the clock to find it was three in the morning. He headed downstairs to find Castiel sitting with his head in his hands, the older hunter knowing that he was suffering a lot with this.<p>

"Why don't you tell me about Gracie?" He said, Castiel looking up in response and sighing.

Bobby sat in front of the angel and watched as he thought, knowing that this would take his mind off of the pain that she could be enduring and could just help him focus on their happy times.

"She was my first charge." Castiel whispered, "My first charge who is also my chosen soulmate. She's intelligent, caring, loving...compassionate. Very emotional at times. Around a certain time every month...and she forbids making love for around five or six days every month in one block. I do not understand it."

Bobby tried to hide the smirk that was on his face. He couldn't get over the fact that the angel was still unaware of the fact that Grace went through that monthly pain parade, and he knew he may have to break the news to him about that, but not now. Castiel didn't need to hear that at this moment. The angel looked up at the older hunter and felt a little nervous about asking about this, but he felt compelled to.

"Bobby...you understand about true love, don't you?"

Bobby nodded, Castiel nodding in recognition before continuing to speak.

"I truly, truly love her." He said, voice quaking with emotion, "I...I took her virginity and she took mine. I was there for her as often as I could be. Recently we've spent a lot more time together, and she tells me she feels afraid of losing me all the time. And I never feared losing her, because I didn't believe I would and yet I have...I just wish that I could hold her in my arms and tell her how sorry I am for causing her so much worry and upset...and how much I really love her."

"I wish the same about my Karen." Bobby told him, Castiel watching as the older hunter wiped a tear away, "I wish that every day. Just be thankful that you can still sense that she's alive, and don't worry. We'll find her, we'll save her, and then you can tell her, huh?"

Castiel felt a little comforted by that, and he closed his eyes, trying to sense what was happening to Grace.

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><p>Darkness surrounded Grace as white hot pain flashed through her body, lights flickering around her as she shivered on the ground through her suffering. Her dark blonde curls were stained with blood, deep blue eyes fluttering as she tried to stay awake.<p>

"R-Raphael..." She choked out, "P-please..."

"Silence." Raphael spat, throwing her into a wall and knocking her out cold on impact.

He went over to her and rested a hand on her belly, smiling evilly as he felt the aura of the tiny child inside her body beginning to glow. He would get Castiel one way or another and would punish him severely in the process if he had to.

This was a war that he was not going to lose.

-TBC-

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><p><strong>Hope you enjoyed! <strong>

**Thanks for reading so far! **

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><strong>


	2. Dark Places, New Faces and Evil Schemes

**Summary: **Part of Castiel wonders why Raphael has taken her. He already knows it's to draw him into a trap, but he can't help but wonder about Raphael's intentions towards her. He knows one thing for certain. He has to get her back. Please R&R!

**Disclaimer: **I don't own _Supernatural _or its characters. I only own my OC.

**A/N: **Special thanks to _Were-girl19 _(who is a very faithful reviewer of my Cas/OCs and Jimmy/OCs) and also to _FantaPieLand_ for reviewing the last chapter, and also to everyone who read, alerted and favourited this story.

Hope you enjoy chapter two!

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><p><strong>Ulterior Motives <strong>

**Chapter Two: Dark Places, New Faces and Evil Schemes **

Castiel looked at his brother and grimaced, putting his hands in his pockets and sighing.

"Balthazar, I wouldn't have asked if..."

"I understand, Castiel." Balthazar replied, keeping his whiskey in his hand before he swilled it around the glass and took it down, "Listen, we all know Raphael's just trying to get to you, but...Castiel, we need to be very careful about how we approach this."

"I know." Castiel breathed, "He's...he's hurting her, Balthazar, I can feel it."

"I know." Balthazar replied, watching as Castiel winced, "Right now?"

Castiel nodded, Balthazar biting his lip. He did feel sorry for his brother. Grace Rhodes meant the world to that angel, and Balthazar knew he'd go to stupid lengths to get her back.

"He's...he's focussed around her abdominal area..." Castiel breathed, "Why?"

Balthazar knew why. He couldn't say anything though. It wasn't his place, and if Castiel found out, he'd be there straight away and in all likelihood get himself killed.

"Don't know." Balthazar lied, looking at his brother with sad eyes, "Wake up the boys. We've got a girl to save."

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><p>Grace lay sweating, bleeding, bruised and tired, waiting for Raphael's next round of torture. It wasn't the first time she'd been subjected to abuse from him, and she hoped and prayed that Castiel wouldn't come for her, whether their baby (which she wished she'd told him about) was at risk or not. Castiel would get killed and then who'd be left to protect her. Gabriel was dead so he was out of the picture, Anna was too and Balthazar had been dead for quite some time.<p>

She was only two weeks along. If she lost her baby, even this early on, it would still break her heart. She had to find a way to escape herself. She couldn't risk Castiel's life. The only people that she knew she could maybe rely on were the Winchester brothers that Castiel had told her about. But she wouldn't know where to even begin looking for them should anything happen to her angel.

"Sit up, whore." Raphael growled, ragging up by her hair and pressing two fingers to her forehead and sending pain shooting down her spine.

He held her up by her hair as her legs buckled and she trembled through the pain, her body quaking and writhing as she arched through the burning hot pain that shot down her back. She screamed, Raphael pressing his lips to hers to silence her, the scream being swallowed by him as he continued his torture.

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><p>"Cas?" Dean asked as the angel winced, tears filling his eyes suddenly as he bit his lip in pain.<p>

"Oh, no..." He breathed, "Please, no..."

"Cas?" Dean asked anxiously, Castiel bracing himself on Bobby's desk as he felt the pain rush down his back.

"He dares to..." He growled, letting out a pained sound, "He burns her from the inside...holds her up by her hair as if that's not bad enough..."

"Cas, what's happening?" Sam asked, Castiel letting a tear fall down his face.

"He's...forcing himself on her..." The angel breathed, "Kissing her, touching her where he pleases...manipulating and contorting her body in ways that are impossible for a human to do...and..."

He covered his mouth and closed his eyes. The images were too much, the sounds that followed also way too much to deal with. Finding some unknown strength he managed to continue, his angelic form burning with anger and worry as he thought of Raphael's evil plans for his soulmate.

"He...he's considering r-rape..." Castiel breathed, "We need to find her. We need to save her...right now..."

"Castiel."

Castiel looked up to see Balthazar standing in the doorway, his expression one of sympathy and concern as he gazed at his brother. Balthazar could be an arrogant, cocky little bastard at times, but he was as loyal as they come, and also an angel of great power, strength, courage and capability. Just the kind of angel they needed for the job.

"There's no use charging in all guns blazing." He revealed, "That bastard isn't going to stop until you find her and then he will kill you. You must not get yourself killed, Castiel, am I understood?"

"What?" Castiel asked, Balthazar moving forwards and looking to the others who were completely confused as to who the other angel was.

"She needs you now, and she will need you more than ever once she is saved." Balthazar told him, looking up at the others, "Oh, sorry...Sam and Dean Winchester...Bobby Singer...I am a brother of Castiel's. The name's Balthazar."

The British accent had shocked the brothers for a moment, and the group took in his cool, calm appearance. His blonde hair was slicked back and he wore a suit jacket, thin v-neck t-shirt and jeans. He was a model of confidence and bravery, his calming presence soothing everyone in the room.

"He is a loyal brother of mine." Castiel assured them, "He is here to help."

"If you got another angel here, why do you need us?" Dean asked, Balthazar sighing in response.

Some humans. They just didn't get it.

"Raphael wants Castiel dead. That's bad enough." He explained, "Two angels in one shot, then he gets ruling over Heaven and the chance to gloat about killing two powerful angels and not just one. We are at risk and if we die, there is no-one to protect Grace."

"We need you there so we have assistance to enable us to survive this." Castiel explained, "Should the worst happen...I must ask you if I can trust you enough to leave Grace in your care."

"W-what?" Dean asked, "Why should we care for her?"

"She has terrible migraines and they can lead to seizures." Castiel told them, "She takes medicine but on more than one occasion I have had to administer it myself. She doesn't want angelic healing. But she cannot be left with no-one to care for her, Dean, she will die."

He looked to the older Winchester, Dean seeing how much pain, stress and worry had embedded itself into those bright blue orbs that seemed unusually dull at that moment.

"Can. I. Trust. You?"

Dean remembered that look. _You should show me some respect_.

"Yes." Dean replied, "You can. You know you can. You can trust me, Sammy and Bobby, all of us to take care of her, okay? But your focus has gotta be surviving this, Cas. She'll need you the most."

Castiel nodded, turning to the group and sitting on Bobby's desk.

"Our manoeuvres must be strategic." He said, "We must prepare for any eventuality. Raphael perhaps bringing some of his followers to defend him, the condition that Gracie will be in when we find her...how wounded she is. Also, we need to prepare for nursing her back to health."

"Can't you do that just by tapping her forehead?" Sam asked, Castiel shaking her head.

"She must heal naturally...and also her psychological wounds cannot be healed by 'just tapping her forehead'." Castiel replied, Sam looking away from him while he continued, "She will be damaged greatly by this. I may need guidance from those who understand more about emotions than myself or Balthazar, here."

Balthazar looked to the brothers and Bobby, raising an eyebrow at them before he sighed and placed a comforting hand on Castiel's shoulder when the angel winced in pain again.

"We don't have much time." He said, "You need to bring your entire arsenal of weapons. I'll do what I can and Castiel will but we may need you to get Grace out while we deal with Raphael."

The boys nodded, Castiel hunching over and holding onto his brother as pain shot through his stomach.

"Why her abdomen?" He gasped, "What's so important about her abdominal area?"

Balthazar bit back the answer and Sam registered the look in the angel's eyes, as Dean and Bobby did. He knew what was going on. If he knew, then why wasn't he telling Castiel? Clearly the angel was worried about Grace and he had a right to know what was happening. But Balthazar saw the way the brothers and Bobby looked at him and he gave them a warning glance in return. It wasn't his place to say. He _couldn't _say.

"We'll start packing." Dean said quietly, the three men leaving the room while Balthazar tended to Castiel.

-TBC-

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><p><strong>Hope you enjoyed! <strong>

**Thanks for reading so far!**

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